noob mantis keeper, needing help

[thedogofwar]

I acquired a 5G nano with a mantis from a fellow reefer. Freebie so I was all about it. I believe it is N. wennerae.

My original opinion of these animals was bad, I saw them as most other reef owners do, nasty terrible creatures. After research, I have come to have great respect for them. Their strength, their vision, their speed, their architechtural skills, I'm quite intrigued by their entire nature.

ok off my SB and on to the problems,

I'm chopstick challenged and need an alternative feeding method. The tank is a Marineland 5G hex and access isn't all that great.

the previous owner said that he isn't very picky on what he eats and was mostly giving him Wardley's shrimp pellet formula. What other foods do they seem to enjoy?

lastly, he's fairly timid and doesn't expose himself very often. What can I do to change this?
The tank is inhabited by 2 damsels, one 4 line and a blue velvet, a few inverts that I was told he hasn't touched since day one. As of today the tank sits on my desk at work, he has been quite busy all day today, will he maybe just get used to seeing me everyday?

TIA

 

[sdm]

1) I feed mine adult brineshrimp from an eyedropper.

2) He will get used to you, but the fish may be stressing him.

HTH

 

[thedogofwar]

1) I feed mine adult brineshrimp from an eyedropper.

2) He will get used to you, but the fish may be stressing him.

HTH

I was wondering about the fish. I was planning to remove the blue velvet, it's almost 2", but I resused some old sand setting up a tank for it and now the water smells like sulfur. I need to find someone to take it off my hands, the other 4 stripe is .5" max in size so I didn't think he would be any trouble.

would it be best to remove them both?

 

[Fuegofish777]

well, i found that a scewer stick like the ones you would use to make k'bobs work well.HTH

 

[Uriel]

I second the skewer stick method.

I had some extra long ones in a cupboard, so I just skewer the food (mine has been eating cod and some shrimp that I picked up in the frozen food counter at my local Safeway). He is a strong little bugger...
I also have 4 hermits and a couple of snails living in his aquarium, in case he gets hungry; So far he has eaten 2 smaller hermits and at least one snail from the 6/4 that I originally bought.

 

[andgott]

I use a plastic feeder stick. Works well.

My mantis has become an incredibly sociable animal- and is very curious. He comes out whenever I enter the room, and watches me from behind his rock. If I make noise, he seems to 'answer' with clicks... He is always clicking at me. He became more 'friendly' over time, as he is in a VERY high traffic area, where there are always people.